The
mission of the Purchasing Office is to procure the highest possible quality of
goods and services for the University at the lowest possible cost. We aim
to support the teaching and research functions of the institution as well as to
provide the commodities and services needed to enhance the quality of student
life on the campus. We assist departments in identifying problems and
finding the best solutions within budgetary constraints.

To
accomplish our mission, certain guidelines and procedures have been
established. These procedures must be adhered to in order to ensure
budgetary control over University resources, compliance with applicable federal,
state and local government regulations, maximum value for funds being expended
and adequate testing and inspection of purchased materials.

1.
Departments have direct departmental purchasing authority for purchases up to
$1,000.00 and may be made with the vendor using a departmental purchase order
(DPO, see example)
or a purchasing card (P-Card).

Computer and related times: All DPO's for computers,
software and related items (printers, scanners, monitors, etc.) from all
areas of the University must be processed through and approved by the
director of Information Technology Services (ITS).

2. Purchasing Card: For purchases $1,000.00 or less
the purchasing card is the preferred method of payment. The purchasing
card program is designed to streamline the order of and payment for purchases of
$1,000.00 or less in total cost. Other forms of payment including invoice
billing, check requests and petty cash transactions should be used only when
payment by a purchasing card is not accepted by the vendor.

3. All orders exceeding $1,000.00 must be processed
through the Purchasing Office on a departmental purchase order so that a
purchase order (PO, see example)
can be issued. (Refer to Department Purchase Order
Preparation, number 4 below)

4. Exceptions to the $1,000.00 limit are reimbursements,
honoraria, services (i.e., architects, printing, contractors), travel and others
as approved by the Vice President for Finance & Administration.

1. Under
$1,000.00: The chair or director will approve the DPO by signature and
date. The principal investigator's signature is also required to expend
funds from a grant. Some divisions of the University and some specific
accounts may have additional requirements regarding signature authority.

2. Over
$1,000.00: The chair or director will approve the DPO by signature and
date. The principal investigator's signature is also required to expend
funds from a grant. Forward DPO to the vice president for approval.

1. Purchases for
$1,000.00 or less: The DPO is to be completed at the time the order is
placed, indicating the vendor's name and address, amount to be paid, and a full
description of the items being purchased. If freight is to be paid, note
the amount or an estimate on the DPO. "Per invoice"
or "Per attached" is not an acceptable description.

2. If the cost of
merchandise is unknown, send a fax to Ext. 8229 or email the Purchasing Office
at purchasing@trinity.edu specifying exact requirements and suggested source if
known. The Purchasing Office will obtain a quote and advise the
department.

3. Orders placed
directly with the vendor by phone or in person must be assigned a DPO number at
the time the order is placed. Instructions must be given to the vendor to
cite this number on all invoices, packing slips and correspondence pertaining to
the order. Request that the merchandise be shipped to: Trinity
University/Central Receiving, 607 Kings Court, San Antonio, TX 78212. The DPO must be
processed as soon as practical and the "Yes" box marked on the DPO so
that the order will not be duplicated. If this box is not marked, it is
assumed that the order has not been placed and the Purchasing Office will place
the order. If duplication occurs, it will be the sole responsibility of
the department to contact the vendor to return the merchandise and for any fee
associated with the return.

4. Purchases over
$1,000.00: The DPO is completed indicating the preferred vendor's name and
address, full description of the merchandise and price if known. If the
department has received a quotation, attach to the DPO and forward to the
appropriate vice president for approval. The vice president's office will
forward the approved DPO to the Business Office. The Purchasing Office
will ensure that the DPO has the appropriate approvals; the best price is
obtained and places the order.

5. Blanket Purchase
Orders: If a department has recurring charges with a vendor that does not
accept the purchasing card, a blanket order may be issued to the vendor. A
blanket order is an authorization for Accounts Payable to pay invoices, as
directed by the department, to a vendor without the need to process a DPO for
each invoice. A blanket order may cover a period of 6 to12 months, up to
$1,000.00. Complete a DPO indicating the vendor's name, address and
estimated amount for the period with a description of the merchandise to be
purchased or services to be rendered. Indicate that the order is to be
processed as a "BLANKET ORDER". Purchasing will process the DPO
as a blanket order using the DPO Number as the blanket number. When merchandise
or services are requested from the vendor, the DPO number preceded by a
"B" is given as the purchase order number. For instances, if the
blanket order number is 3123456 then the vendor is asked to cite B3123456 on
their packing slip and invoice.

6. Chemicals and/or
hazardous materials: A copy of the DPO must be sent to the University Safety
Coordinator.

7.
Reimbursement: The individual's full legal name and social security number
must be entered in the vendor area of the DPO. All original receipts must
be attached. These DPO's are processed by Accounts Payable and not the
Purchasing Office.

Business related
entertainment expenses must include the names of all guests, the business
affiliation of each guest, and the business purpose of the
expenditure.

Mileage requests must
include the beginning and ending odometer reading.

9. Honoraria (Guest
Speakers): The individual's social security number and address must be in
the vendor area of the DPO and a letter of engagement must be attached to the
DPO.

10. The director or
chairperson or designee must sign the DPO.

Up to $1,000.00:
Forward to Business Office/Accounts Payable.

Over $1,000.00:
Forward to the appropriate vice president.

11. The department
copy of the DPO will be detached and retained in the department file copy. If
merchandise is to be delivered directly to the department by the vendor, note on
the DPO and retain receiving (gold) copy. When merchandise is received,
sign the receiving copy and forward it to Purchasing.

12. If the
department picks up the merchandise and invoice before processing the DPO, the
receiving copy must be signed (leave attached) and forward all copies of the DPO
to the Business Office.

13. If the
department receives the merchandise directly from the vendor after the DPO has
been processed, notify Central Receiving at centrec@trinity.edu,
giving the vendor's name and the DPO number so that the order can be accepted on
the university's data base system.

14. All invoices
received directly by the department must be sent to the Business Office/Accounts
Payable

15. A department may
be assessed a $15.00 processing fee by the Business Office if an invoice is
received in Accounts Payable and a corresponding DPO has not been processed by
the department.

16. Trade-in or
exchange of university property must be approved by the appropriate vice
president prior to making the commitment. The trade-in or exchange must be
noted on the DPO and must include a full description, the University asset
number and the value received from the vendor.

17. Orders totaling
$25,000.00 or more must have a minimum of three documented bids or justification
for sole sourcing. Departmental staff may solicit bids or request that the
Purchasing Office do so by providing detailed specifications of the product(s)
being solicited. (Grants may stipulate specific purchasing
requirements. Contact the Office of Sponsored Projects or Business
Office/Grant Accounting for specific grant requirements.)

18. Conflict of
Interest: Any actual or perceived conflict of interest by either the
person initiating the request for goods or services or by an individual approving
the request must be disclosed to the Purchasing Office prior to a commitment to
purchase goods or services. This includes, but is not limited to, any
circumstances which may provide financial gain to the University employee or a
member of his or her family or household or to a business partner.

Trinity University
Office of Finance & Administration
One Trinity Place
San Antonio, TX 78212-7200

This page is provided to you for
informational purposes. Trinity University does not assume liability
for omissions, typographical errors, or policy changes that are not updated
immediately on this or other official university web pages.